Ok. Total weight loss 29 pounds! MAde a jig to make all ribs the exact same length. Assembled wing and set up drag braces and compression braces. Made parts for both wings! Took a few hours. Most of the time was interpreting the plans. Each drag brace and associated compression braces different. Working tomorrow. Going to glue on Wednesday!

AWESOME JOB on the weight loss!!!!

Thanks Jack. My Max is keeping me motivated!
Starting on the wing root carry thru straps and strut races. I found cutting the stack to length  then stacking them 4 high. With 3m spray contact. Adhesive  allows me to drill them perfectly. When done they seperated easily. Then clean off contact adhesive with acetone!

Then using technique I saw here I outline the ends and sand to shape on my belt sander!

More on attachment to wing

Big,
That looks like an awesome Idea!!! I have to remember that!!!

Ed~

No more weight loss at this time... But drag struts cut and glued. Front and back spar have all ribs glued on except tip and root rib. Now fitting aileron spar web

Webbing for ailerons glue up. Waiting to dry

1 more pound lost! Total 30!!! Ok messed up with drag struts! If you are using wing tanks...and I am...... refer to tank mount drawings. The drag brace in the tank area sits lower. Carefully using a heat gun and putty knife I was able to remove offending drag strut and RS 11 reinforcements!
I now have relocated braces glued in. Trailing edge glued with gussets. Aileron web top stringers and diagonals glued.

I made a very basic tool to set 3 degree angle on root rib. Works great! I think the pictures explain everything!

One more pic of aileron diagonal and aileron D sections glued in place

looks like your construction is coming along great... keep it up and also your slim down.

monte  

Thanks Monty. I have found it very rewarding. The support here and from Dave at Minimax has been fantastic! Flipped the wing.cleaned up squeeze out epoxy and runs with heat gun and putty knife.  Added the RS 3 to the bottom aileron spar and bottom  aileron diagonals. Also bottom trailing edge gussets. This is also a great time to fill any voids you cannot see from the top. Mixing milled fiber with T-88 makes a nice filler that does not run. And I believe doesn't weaken glue bond!

Quoted from bigbrixx1

Ok. Total weight loss 29 pounds! MAde a jig to make all ribs the exact same length. Assembled wing and set up drag braces and compression braces. Made parts for both wings! Took a few hours. Most of the time was interpreting the plans. Each drag brace and associated compression braces different. Working tomorrow. Going to glue on Wednesday!

By the way, I am steeling this idea!!!

Go for it jack. It worked out very well. Not only using this forium to document and research my build. I hope to help others also!

Another 1.5 pounds gone! 31.5 total!
Added the nose braces to the wing. Built a jig to form the nose plywood sheeting. I soak the plywood in the tub for about 90 minutes.... My poor wife is used to my projects. She no longer questions plywood soaking in the tub.... Or freshly glued parts curing in the warmth of the living room. LOL....Made a small error when drilling holes for root brackets. I drilled them leaving 2 3/8 distance from root instead of 2 3/16. My plan is to double root plywood. With the t-88 and 1/8 ply doubled up that will leave brackets the correct length, anybody see a problem with this solution?

Quoted from bigbrixx1

Made a small error when drilling holes for root brackets. I drilled them leaving 2 3/8 distance from root instead of 2 3/16. My plan is to double root plywood. With the t-88 and 1/8 ply doubled up that will leave brackets the correct length, anybody see a problem with this solution?

I don't believe you have a problem.  The holes in the spar carry-through will be slightly closer to the aircraft centerline that's all.  There will be a small change in the bending load on the carry-through, I doubt it will be anything to worry about.

Thanks for the input Bob. I talked to Dave at minimax. He isn't worried either. I am going to add another 1/8 piece of plywood to root rib. Between that and glue that brings the measurement within 1/16 of spec. My real concern was the bolts holding the bracket to the spar are to 3/16 farther out. I.E. 3/16 closer to end of spar end... Maybe not leaving enough material to keep root brackets from pulling out under load. I believe most of the loads are under compression, with only a moderate amount under shear. I don't believe this to be a problem at all.

Quoted from bigbrixx1

My real concern was the bolts holding the bracket to the spar are to 3/16 farther out. I.E. 3/16 closer to end of spar end... Maybe not leaving enough material to keep root brackets from pulling out under load. I believe most of the loads are under compression, with only a moderate amount under shear.

Right, I hadn't considered the spar bolts being nearer the spar end which becomes an issue for negative g and landing loads.  The bolt hole edge distance is too small for the inboard most bolt.  The extra ply will help.  I'm not sure if it completely mitigates the mistake.  Refrain from any outside loops  

I would just add the third bolt between the other two and fly it.. If you have not drilled the holes in the carry through you don't even have to add the extra plywood.

You know I had considered adding a third bolt. I don't see why that wouldn't work!

I like seeing how your airplane is coming along.  It's looking very good.  Thanks for posting lots of pictures.

Jack

Thanks Jack. I am in the process if repairing my goof. Pics go follow

So here is what I decided to do.... Made plywood plugs and doweled extra spar material. Then glued then in place. Sanded. Drilled holes in proper place. Still considering the third bolt. BTW I included picture of kick butt drill jig I picked up. Pretty darn accurate! Sort of a portable drill press!

Looks like a good fix to me.....of course, keep in mind that I'm a first time builder too. Looks like you also used steel bushings to spread the fitting bolt load out to a larger area?

....and yeah, that drill jig could be a very handy tool to have in the toolbox!

Lynn

Very good.  The bushings make the connections half again (1.5 times) as strong as the original design.

-Edit:  This is a VMax so the bushings are specified.

Thanks guys. The metal bushing are actually called for in the plans. I am not completely happy with repair and have removed the plywood reinforcements and replacing those also. Then I will feel confident in the repair. I found the best way to remove them was to chisel them down to about one or two laminations then remove the rest with a heat gun and putty knife. More pics tomorrow!

Ok repair complete and I am very pleased with results. Weight loss stalled at 31 lbs. but going to kick it up a notch!
Plywood reinforcements removed and replaced! Finally a repair I am willing to "bet my life on" still have some cleanup work. Sanding ect!!

My buddy volunteered to streamline my struts. He just dropped them off. High density foam. Covered with 3 oz fiberglass cloth and resin.....hardwood trailing edge. One of my concerns was inability to monitor for rust on the struts under the foam. So they were cleaned and coated with T-88 epoxy to protect them. Then foam was t-88 to the struts.

wow...those are nice.  he ought to go into business making them...